“I’ve got you, baby,” he crooned as he cradled her head and stroked her soft white fur. She lay down and her whimpering cut through him like a knife as her bones cracked and she cried out at the pain shooting through her limbs as she transitioned. It was easier and quicker this time and he knew she would be shifting on the fly in no time at all.
Seann pulled her against him and they lay for an age on the grassy bank listening to the water and gazing at the clear sky above them. Despite his earlier decision, he was acutely aware that she was completely naked beside him and his traitorous body reacted to her instinctively, her scent was driving his crazy.
As if reading his mind she reached out her hand and trailed her fingers, feather-lite, up the length of his legs and over his taut stomach. He groaned and enjoyed the moment for a few seconds before he stilled her hand and she sat up straight to look down upon him. The moon was almost full and he could see her beautiful face clearly, her vivid blue eyes were clear but the fire burned brightly in them. Her long dark hair spilled over her breasts and he reached out a hand and swept it out of the way so that he could see all of her. She gasped as his fingers lightly brushed her breast.
“Make love to me Seann.”
“Don’t you want to wait a little longer? I wanted everything to be perfect for you, for us sweetheart. We can go away for a few days with no one else around.”
“Do you want me Seann?”
“More than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life.”
“Do you need me?”
“More than I need to breathe.”
“Then everything is already perfect.”
She reached out her hand to him and his mouth smashed into hers and he felt desire course through his body like a tsunami and their limbs tangled as they each fought for dominance, rolling around on the softness of the forest floor. His breath hitched in his throat as his wolf rose to the surface and the desire to possess her overwhelmed him. She pierced her tongue on his fangs and bit down on his lip and he tasted his blood mingled with hers which only fueled his desire and he wanted to pin her down and take her but he was holding back, with tremendous difficulty.
She was on top of him again and she was trying to straddle him and his wolf howled in distress, he was alpha and would never be content unless he was dominant in their mating.
“Please Seann, I need you,” she cried in pain and he flipped them over again and she wrapped her legs tightly around him as he gave in to his instincts and thrust inside her.
She cried out and he stilled for a moment but she had her hands buried in his hair and her hips were already urging him deeper inside her and his resolve snapped and he finally let go. His tongue probed her mouth as he held her hips and pounded her and she met him thrust for thrust as she cried out her pleasure,
Fuck, she was magnificent!
Her frenzy was soaring higher and higher and he gathered her close to him as she teetered on the edge of oblivion. Her fangs were punched out over her lip and when her orgasm hit she leaned in and bit him on the tender skin below his collar bone, leaving the distinctive mark that claimed him as hers for evermore. A rush of adrenaline surged through him and he howled in triumph, biting her again on his mark as he came and she bucked against him as her orgasm went on and on until they collapsed in a heap on the cool grass.
He pulled her on top of him listening to her racing heart return to normal. She slept briefly and Seann wondered what he had ever done to deserve this. She was his everything and he was going to spend the rest of his life making her happy. He stroked her soft skin and when she woke, his wolf growled softly, surprisingly content to let her take the lead this time as she mounted him and began to move slowly, pulling him deeper inside, a slow smile playing on her lips.
He closed his eyes and let the sensations take over.
Maybe he had actually died and gone to heaven.
The made love several more times, each time better than the last and swam in the cool river and he swooped her up and carried her out to dry off on the grass just as the sun came up. Seann knew his life before Imogen paled in comparison to what was yet to come.
His wolf had sensed her importance the minute he caught her scent in the woods when she was injured, but for Seann, it was when he first laid eyes on her. Dirty and covered in blood, he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he sensed her pure heart. Biting her hadn’t really been a choice, she was his destiny.
She faced him, naked and glorious as she tried to squeeze the excess water out of her long, dark hair and her lips curved into a smile. His chest squeezed painfully and he suppressed a gasp as his wolfs emotions flooded him and mingled until they were at one with his.
He would die for her.
He loved her!
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Imogen
Her heart was going to explode, she was so happy that she and Seann were finally irrevocably bound together and who knew that sex would be so amazing. How would they ever get anything else done, she was in a constant state of arousal and by the looks he was constantly sending her way, he was faring no better. God, she wanted to sink her teeth into him!
She hadn’t met him yet, but Colm O’Brien had arrived this afternoon with another pack member and she knew Seann had business to attend to but it didn’t stop her daydreaming about his full lips, his washboard abs and his tight a…
“Imogen, are you even listening to me!” India’s voice penetrated her foggy brain and she shook her head to gather her thoughts, what the hell was wrong with her she was turning into a deranged nympho! She just wanted to jump him every time she saw him!
“Sorry, got a lot on my mind,” she said as she snatched up the printed spreadsheet she handed her and India grinned.
“I see what’s on your mind, sis,” she glanced out the window and Imogen smiled at her sister’s teasing.
She was a little obsessed with her mate and she absentmindedly touched his mark on her neck and heat pooled in her stomach as she imagined his lips there. Dragging her mind back to the present she followed her sister’s gaze.
Seann was standing outside in the front yard with an older man who she assumed was Aspen’s father and a younger man had joined them and was perched on top of the fence nearby watching them. Imogen hadn’t seen him before and guessed he came with Colm from the other pack.
“Who is he?” Imogen said as the younger man stood up and stretched, looking toward the window they were watching from and pulled his t-shirt over his head. He began to slowly take off his jeans, making sure they had the best view. He looked like he had stepped off the pages of a magazine, golden polished abs and long shaggy hair.
“I feel like we should have a stack of dollar bills,” India said and laughed out loud.
Wolf hearing! He knew he was being watched and was playing to his audience.
“Colm, I’m going for a run,” he said as he dropped his shorts and Imogen smiled at his cheek. He was gorgeous for sure but he really did nothing for her, her eyes swept the yard for Seann but he had already moved onto the porch.
“India, if you are quite finished ogling the meathead can you come and help me with the boxes that just arrived, they are all over the house.
Garrett stood in the doorway and he was furious! His eyes flashed bright green in anger and Imogen sensed there could be fireworks.
“I beg your pardon?” India snapped back, “Last time I checked you didn’t fucking own me Garrett, I will look at whoever I want, whenever I want,” she had a short fuse at the best of times, she didn’t have red hair for nothing!
She pushed past him and he stormed after her, a deep growl reverberated through the whole house and Imogen grinned. Her sister was feisty and wouldn’t take kindly to be bossed around but Garrett was all wolf and would fight like hell for her submission, that is if they ever actually mated, this could get interesting.
She followed them through the house to help with the delivery, she guessed correctly that it was fabric an
d other supplies for their clothing line. Stella and her sister, Marie, had already recruited some new hires to sew the garments and they were getting ready to start production for the online orders that were slowly starting to come in. Many of the youngsters were wearing their garments already and India and Imogen were going to try them out on their first full moon run.
This would be India’s first change and Imogen was glad it wasn’t hers. She would be there to help her sister through this before shifting and completing the run with them. Only then would she be a fully-fledged member of this pack. She would be expected to lead the run with Seann and she suppressed a grin knowing how fast she was. It wasn’t in her nature to show off but just this once she was going to allow herself this indulgence, wolves were not reticent by nature and she needed to stand tall and embrace her strength if she was going to stand beside Seann as leader of this pack.
Garrett was seething as he hauled the boxes inside like they weighed nothing and India ignored him as she opened them and organized their stash. The air was thick with tension but Imogen pretended not to notice.
They were going to have to move their operation somewhere else soon as the mountain of stuff was now too big for the rooms Seann had given them. They had a unit earmarked in the new building they planned to build but that could be months away yet. Maybe they would have to be offsite after all. Imogen was surprised this didn’t appeal to her as much as it once would, she would much rather have it here in the compound.
“Wow! Where are you going to keep all of this,” Roisin said coming into the room.
“We haven't figured that out yet,” India sighed.
Garrett straightened up and called over his shoulder, “I have somewhere else I need to be,” he didn’t look at India as he left.
“He didn’t like you admiring the new guy out front did he,” Imogen smiled and India rolled her eyes but she was blushing at the same time. She was enjoying making him jealous.
“You are wicked India but be careful, these wolves are full of testosterone and it’s not wise to poke him.”
“Won’t hurt him to have a little healthy competition besides, you can’t talk, we all heard your little spat before,” she was smiling but Imogen knew she was still angry, India was no one's possession and Garrett would learn that very quickly.
Roisin went back to the kitchen and left them to their unpacking.
“Why are you resisting being mated to him?” she asked bluntly.
“Who says I am?”
“I know you better than anyone love, what are you afraid of?”
“There are things you don’t know Imogen.”
“Tell me, everyone is outside, we are alone India,” she insisted, taking her arm and leading her to the loveseat and giving her time to organize her thoughts.
“Garrett doesn’t know that I know this, but I overheard Bree talking to Roisin last week about me and Garrett. Roisin said she was so happy Garrett had found someone else after everything that had happened to him. Her exact words were, ‘I never thought he would ever get over losing Kali but India is a breath of fresh air and he seems so smitten by her, it’s time he had a little happiness in his life again.”
“I don’t follow, it's inevitable that he has a past, he has been around for almost six decades,” Imogen wrinkled her brow.
“A past is one thing but she was his mate,” the hurt in her voice cut through Imogen.
“What happened to her?”
“I don’t know, but Roisin said, ‘You never get over that bond, even when it’s severed, you just have to learn to live without it.”
“Oh honey I’m sorry,” Imogen pulled her sister close. India didn’t want to be second best to a ghost she could never hope to compete with and combined with trust issues.
“I’m falling for him, Imogen but I don’t know how to put the brakes on it.”
For once she didn’t know what to say so she just held her tightly until they heard the back door open and India dashed through to her room to wash her face.
Seann came in with Colm and the young wolf who had been showing off earlier and introduced them.
“Colm, Rafe, I would like you to meet Imogen. Imogen this is Aspen’s father, Colm O’Brien and this is Rafe Gallagher.”
Rafe was on his best behavior in front of the two alphas and shook her hand but she could see the twinkle in his eye and knew this man was harmless, he was just a huge flirt.
India came back downstairs and offered to make coffee and Rafe offered to help. Garrett would be more than pissed if he came back and saw him flirting again with her sister.
Bree came waltzing in just then, “No need, I can help India, you have a seat, you’re our guest.”
He bowed and kissed Bree’s hand making her blush, yes he was worth watching, this one.
“Colm, you already know my sisters, Rafe this is my sister, Bree and I think I hear Hope coming in too.”
He shook hands with Bree and then he bowed dramatically and kissed her hand again making her blush, Imogen smiled, he was the ultimate charmer.
“I’m going to sit with Jake for a while, Roisin found out our mystery man’s name is Jake Dylan, he is Canadian but has been here for ten years and lives on his own so family shouldn’t be an immediate issue,” she disappeared down the corridor to his room.
She had been spending a lot of time with the unconscious man and Imogen thought she had a little crush on him, he was about thirty-five years old, at least she was sure of that with him being human, for now.
“He will wake up in the next day or two and should transition smoothly. His injuries are healing nicely,” Rafe said to the room at large and Imogen was grateful he was going to live.
The front door opened again and Hope came in, Rafe turned to shake her hand when Seann introduced them but when he touched her he pulled back his arm as if he had been stung, a look of surprise on his face and for the first time since Imogen got here, Hope was speechless! They stared at each other for an age then she blinked rapidly and glanced around the room before mumbling something incoherent and hurrying to her bedroom.
“Hope!” Seann called after her but Imogen put her hand on his arm and shook her head.
What the hell just happened between those two?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Seann
“What was all that about,” Seann asked when their bedroom door closed behind them. Colm and Aspen were staying with Lachlan and Faye and Rafe was staying in one of the guest rooms downstairs.
“I think Rafe and Hope had an instant connection,” she grinned as she removed the shirt from his waistband and pulled it over his head, “I never thought I would see Hope tongue-tied but she was!”
“She could talk before she could walk,” he smiled, “It’s about time she met someone who could shut her up.”
He lifted her up and threw her on the bed and stripped her naked in seconds.
“I think we have time for a quickie before we need to get going,” he pulled her toward him but she flipped over and sat astride him, feeling his arousal clearly through his jeans.
“Seann, there was something we never talked about in all of the…excitement,” she smirked. We haven’t used any form of birth control and we have had sex dozens of times.”
He had managed to remove his pants while she was still on top of him and rolled her over again until she was once again beneath him.
“Wolves don’t suffer from human diseases.”
“Do they suffer from pregnancy?”
He stilled for a moment and raised up on his arms, watching her face closely.
“You don’t want to get pregnant?” he was trying hard to hide his disappointment.
“Do you?” she countered and he couldn’t stop the grin that split his face.
“I can think of nothing I would like more.”
“Well then, let’s work on that, shall we.”
“Oh god, Imogen,” he gathered her to him and they made love tenderly and slowly and he had to hol
d his tongue from blurting out his declaration of love, it was too soon even though he felt it in every cell, in every fiber of his being.
She quickly reached her peak and he let go as her teeth found their mark. She snuggled into his side and he let her sleep for a while before they would need to get ready for tonight’s run. He ran his hand over the flat of her stomach and wondered if she was already pregnant.
Wolves were notoriously fertile and they could have a dozen quite easily but he would be content with three or four but he guessed nature would decide. He smiled as he imagined her, swollen with his child and something primal stirred inside him.
A couple of months ago the thought of being responsible for a family scared him more than being responsible for the whole pack but since he met Imogen his outlook on life had changed.
Seann had loved his father but he didn’t want to be like him. He had kept his mate and their children at arm’s length and Seann knew his mother had been unhappy at times despite the happy home she created for him and his sisters. He could see it in the faraway look in his eyes when she thought no one was watching her and it broke his heart.
His father had always struck him as cold. He provided for them and protected them but he never opened up and let any of them in, that must have wounded his mother deeply. He couldn’t imagine being indifferent to his mate, it just wasn’t in a wolf’s nature.
He glanced at the clock and gently shook her awake and her arms went around his neck as she leaned up to kiss him.
“Time to get ready, sweetheart, big night tonight!” He smiled as she yawned and stretched.
“I hope India is okay,” she yawned again, “I remember how much that first time hurt.”
“Garrett will look after her, stop worrying,” he scooped her up and carried her to the shower. “This is your night, first pack run. After tonight there is no going back.”
“There was no going back from day one Seann,” she said softly.
The Children of the Moon Page 14
